Teeny Weeny City

Alan Wolfson makes “Minature Urban Sculptures.” He designs scale model replicas of city stores, streets, diners, and more. See his work here. His latest, “Canal Street Cross Section” (above) is included in the “Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities” at MAD (the Museum of Arts and Design) until September 18.

Alan Wolfson creates handmade miniature sculptures of urban environments. Complete with complex interior views and lighting effects, a major work can take several months to complete.

The pieces are usually not exact representations of existing locations, but rather a combination of details from many different locations along with much of the detail from the artist’s imagination.

There is a narrative element to the work. Scenarios are played out through the use of inanimate objects in the scene. There are never people present, only things they have left behind; garbage, graffiti, or a tip on a diner table, all give the work a sense of motion and a storyline.

About Steven Heller

Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.

I was in NYC last week and saw the show at MAD. It’s incredible! If you are in the city go see it. There are photos of the different pieces on the MAD website. However, seeing the miniatures in person is mindblowing. The attention to detail is inspiring.